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Melbourne Acting Agencies Advice for Kids

melbourne acting agencies

Kids of any age who are interested in acting will be very excited if given an opportunity to pursue their passion. However, it’s not quite as easy as getting an audition and hitting the big screen. There’s a lot of work that goes into acting, and sometimes even a lot of disappointment. Likewise, it’s a great challenge and also extremely rewarding. So, if you’ve got little ones who are interested in acting, here’s some advice from one of Melbourne’s acting agencies.

Be comfortable performing in front of people

This might be an obvious piece of advice, but stage fright is a very real thing! Especially during auditions, it’s a pretty daunting experience for anybody. Even if you ace the audition, all acting requires some public performance. Even if you’re not on stage, there are usually plenty of people watching you on set.

So, before you consider acting as a career, make sure you enjoy performing in front of several pairs of eyes!

Make acting about fun, not money

For many, acting is a career. For kids though, you need to maintain an element of fun. Even if your heart is set on having a career as an actor when you’re older, it’s important not to lose your childhood.

Make sure acting is still fun, rather than just a financial pursuit, because you’ll enjoy it for far longer if you maintain that fun.

Be willing to test yourself

Acting is a tough business in the sense that there’s far more actors out there than there are roles. That means you can’t always be too choosy about the roles you audition for. You may not think an opportunity is perfect for you, however like most things in life, acting is all about challenging yourself.

Melbourne acting agencies need you to ‘prepare, prepare, prepare’

Preparation is always the key in acting, because it significantly helps your performance. For auditions, always learn your lines thoroughly. You should also make sure you dress appropriately and really understand the role you’re auditioning for. When it comes to nailing an audition, preparation is everything!

Be able to take direction

If you’re not able to take direction and follow instructions, you won’t have a great career in acting. Most directors have a very clear picture of what they want you to say, do and how to look. When you’re on set, you’ll need to be comfortable following instructions and taking the job seriously.

Missing out on a role is part of acting

Finally, prepare for a little disappointment along the way. There aren’t many actors of any age who are successful in winning every role they audition for. Plus, especially while you’re young it’s all a learning experience. So, if you miss out on a role, don’t get disheartened. Just try to learn what you could have done better, and move on to the next opportunity!

Only work with the best Melbourne acting agencies

At Casting Kids, we represent children from 6 months to 16 years, so for the best Melbourne acting agencies, look no further. To find out more, contact us today.

How Does Acting and Modelling for Kids Affect School?

casting for teens

When children develop an interest in acting or modelling, they’ll be happy to skip school for some work. But the fact is, acting jobs, and to a lesser extent modelling, will have an impact on their school work. Many casting sessions occur during school hours. So, while it may not be a big deal to skip a few hours for a casting session, the actual job is a different story.

If your child is lucky enough to be chosen for acting work, the time requirements increase dramatically. Here’s a few ways that acting and modelling can affect a child’s schooling, and how to cope with it.

Take control

Firstly, it’s important to remember that you’re in control. When it comes to your child’s well-being, you need to put them first. Acting and modelling comes second. Children will of course always want to go and do something fun, especially if it means getting out of school! But it’s your right as a parent to just say no if things are impacting their education too much.

At the end of the day, a child’s education is the most important thing. Therefore, you should never feel pressured by casting agents, directors or anybody else. You’re the parent, so you have the final say.

Work together with the school

Chances are you’ll need some assistance from your child’s school if they’re taking up acting or modelling. Firstly, you may ask if teachers can provide you with some work that students can do at home. This may not be an issue for a one-off casting session, but for long-term acting jobs they will need to stay up to speed with the rest of the class.

Also, if your child is picked for a TV show or longer production, the agency applies for a permit so your child can work. To get this permit, the school will need to sign off on it. So, just be upfront with your school and work with them to make sure everything is above board.

Tutors on set

Finally, if your child makes it onto a larger production, they have a right to have tutors on set. You’ll still need the school’s assistance in delivering appropriate work, but a tutor is there to help. It’s not uncommon for larger productions to have tutors on standby, and this can also form part of the job contract.

Find an acting and modelling agency that cares

To make sure your child’s education isn’t affected by acting and modelling jobs, having the right casting agency behind you can help. Not only can they assist with contracts when it comes to having tutors available, or study time built into scheduling, but they can also guide you and your child through the process. A great casting agency is there to help your child, and they will always ensure their well-being is a top priority. Contact us today if you want the right agency to represent your child’s acting and modelling career.

Children’s Agents – Questions Answered

children's agents

Acting in Australia is a competitive business, and the same applies to kids and teenagers. There are plenty of people who would love to be actors, but there are only so many jobs out there. One of the best ways you can give your children an advantage is to find children’s agents. This gives you a foot in the door, so to speak, and also exposes your child to more audition opportunities.

However, we know that many parents have questions about how it all works, so int his article, we answer some of your questions!

How much do children’s agents cost?

Every agency is different, and will also charge differently. For example, at Casting Kids, we charge an annual membership fee. This covers everything including 12 months of exclusive representation a professional photo session and a personal profile on our website. We work tirelessly all year to put your child forward for potential auditions, so this is covered by the membership fee. Any money your child makes through acting in Australia is all yours.

Other agencies may charge a percentage of anything you earn; however, we feel an annual fee is more appropriate. We understand that parents who don’t see any evidence of us working for them won’t continue to be members. As such, an equal membership fee means we are always working just as hard for all of our members.

Does everyone get accepted?

In short, no they don’t. Part of the reason for that is the membership fee we discussed above. If we believe a child is unlikely to obtain work, we don’t feel comfortable charging an annual fee. As such, we only represent children who we believe have a good chance at finding work.

With that said, we actively promote diversity and equality, and we work with many children of all abilities including Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and limb differences.

Is acting work guaranteed?

Signing up with children’s agents doesn’t guarantee work. Because we only represent children who we believe we can find acting work for, we heavily promote all of our kids wherever appropriate. However, the client ultimately decides who they hire.

Fortunately, we have a wide range of clients who trust our recommendations, so we would certainly expect to be inviting your child to attend several auditions.

Need help finding children’s agents in Australia?

We represent babies and children up to the age of 16. We’ve also got a great reputation in the industry, and we’re trusted by both our clients and our members alike. If you’d like to find out more about child acting in Australia, contact us today at Casting Kids.